Improvement in artificial legs



"1. J. CAIN ARTIFICIAL LEG.

No. 44,766. Patented 0012., '18, 1864.

THENORRIS PETERS CG-,'WASH INGTON, n cy UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

'rnonAs JAMES GAIN, or oLnynLAnn, OHIO, ASSIGNOR To HIMSELF" ANL. WILLIAM G. AND J. awannon, OFSAME PLACE.

SMPRQVEMENT IN ARTIFICIAL LEGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ddfidfi, dated October 18, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'l. J. CAIN, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and 0p eration'of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the leg in a d fferent position fromtha-t in Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are sectionswhich will be referred to in the description,

greatestease and facility for the wearer, and

they can also be readily adjusted and kept in good order.

A represents the upper part or thigh of th leg; B, the lower part, and C the i'oot. At the ankle-joint, where the foot is connected to the leg, there is a ball-and-socket joint, D, the ball d being secured to theunder side of the ankle B. of the leg, and the socket d to the foot, as represented in Fig. 8. This joint is kept in place, as it is operated, by a hook and eye, I), on each side, (shown in Figs. 7 and 8,) linked or hooked together, as represented in Fig; 7. The pieces 1)., forming the lower links crhooks, extend down into the foot th rough the elastic-springs c, and are fastened to the pieces 0 underneath the springs.

There is a depression or space, 0, Figs. 1

and 2, in the foot, into which the lower partof the ankle fits and moves, as it is adjusted to any desired position by means of the halland-socket joint. The springs 0 also, in connection with the links 3), give elasticity to the movements of the foot and ankle.

The tee is formed of a different piece, and is connected by a joint, D, to the foot, being curved, as represented,with a pin or rod extending across the toe part, and passing through a metallic piece, near each side, thatis secured to the foot, as indicated by the dotted lines 6 in Fig. 1, forming the joint, a strip of leather being attached to the toe and foot at the top,

across where they come together, and there is a spring, a, about the middle in the upper part of the foot that. gives tension and elasticity to the joint.

To the heel of the foot is attached a strap, E, terminating in a hook, E, that hooks into the spring F, as in Fig. 3, which represents some of the working parts of the leg detached.

H is a connectingrod that passes through the bridge F secured to the sides of the leg through the spring f and piece f, and is screwed into the head of the hook g, on which is placed the uppe'r'part of the sprin F. l is a sliding hook on the connecting-rod B, being secured in any desired place on the rod by the screw-bolt I. v

J is a hook attached near the top or the lower part cfthe leg, and on this hook and thehook J is placed the spring J,the tension ofwhich can at any time he incrcascdor diminished by adjusting accordingly the sliding iJOUkJ 0n the connecting-rod.

At the top of the connecting-rod is formed the joint'H, an enlarged View of the section of which is seen in Fig. 5. There is a thinible, h, screwed onto the top, with a pin, it, in the center, that rests on the box-cap h, and extends up to the top of the thimble, by means of which the joints can he'loosened'or tightened by diminishing or increasing the press ure on the cap it, that surrounds the top of the cross'piece H, forming the joint, thatis secured to the sides oFthe leg, as shown in Fig. 6. The upper part ofthe connecting-rod is kept in place by the plates Z on each side,

secured to the sides of the slot L or" the leg.

lhejoint M at the knee consists of braces m on the outside of the leg, scoured to the under part of theleg below the knee, as represented in Fig. 4:.

Fig. (i is a section through Fig. 4 in the direction of the lines mar, showing a section oi thejoint- M, which consists of across-bar, P, screwed into a bolt-head crjoarnal, p, at one end, and the other end terminates in a head that fits in and can be turned round in a chamber in. the head p, as represented. The obj ect of this is to tighten the jointwhen it gets loose in any way by simply turning the bar P. The

heads p 10 form a part of the upper end of the braces m, that extend into the leg, the screws j m being put in from the-outside, as represented, leaving a sp:tce,-0, between the end of the C-TOSSrbHT and screw for an oil-chamber, in which may be placed any iioccnlent material to retain the oil.

7: is a thin diaphragm below the kneejoint, having a. slot, 7.1, in it for the connectingrod to move back and forth in, as the position of the leg is changed. By bending the knee ofthe leg, in Fig. 2, the connecting-rod moves down through the bridge F, relaxing the spring F, and increasing the tensionof the spring J. The'connecting-rod vibrates and moves vertically in the bridge F, that being 2. The adjustable hook 1, in combination with the rod H and spring J, arranged and operatingin the manner and for the purpose set forth. v

3. The bridge F, in combination with the strap E and springs F and J, and connect-ingrod H, arranged and operated as specified.

4. The thin'ible k, pin h, and cap-box h, for the purpose specified.

The links b, rods 31, and springs a, in combination with the ball-and-socketjoint 1), arranged anthopcrating as and for the purpose described.

6. The bar P and heads 1) 1), when constructed and arranged as described, for-the purpose specified.

7. Uniting the thigh'A-and lower leg, B, by means of the connecting-rod H, joints H. and m m, as herein specified.

' THOMASJ. CAIN.

Witnesses: I

W. H. BURRIDGE, J. HoLMEs. 

